Process for operating a printing press
AssigneeHeidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
InventorsNikolaus Pfeiffer, Manfred Schneider
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Operation of printing presses can typically require that various printing jobs be performed consecutively, or that is, one printing job may need to be performed immediately after a previous printing job is completed. Such printing operations can preferably be conducted, without a complete shutdown of the press, by providing a transitional, or changeover operation during which the various settings for the printing press can be changed from the previous settings to settings needed for the subsequent printing job.
Claims20
A process for operating a printing press comprising a printing plate cylinder for positioning a printing plate, an ink reservoir for holding a supply of ink and an inking mechanism for transferring the ink between the ink reservoir and the printing plate during operation of the printing press, the inking mechanism comprising a plurality of inking rollers, a plurality of individually adjustable ink zone metering devices disposed in conjunction with the ink reservoir, at least one ink fountain roller positioned adjacent the plurality of individually adjustable ink zone metering devices to receive ink via the metering devices, and at least one ink transfer roller for transferring ink between the ink fountain roller and at least one of the plurality of inking rollers, each of the plurality of individually adjustable ink zone metering devices defining a substantially corresponding ink zone in the printing press, the printing press further comprising sheet feeding means for feeding sheets of printing stock into the printing press, a rubber blanket cylinder having a rubber blanket disposed thereabout for receiving an ink impression from the plate cylinder, a sheet drum for receiving sheets being fed for printing the ink impression of the rubber blanket onto the sheets, means for stacking printed sheets in a pile, and means for transporting printed sheets to the sheet stacking means, said process comprising the steps of:
- adjusting the plurality of ink zone metering devices to settings appropriate for establishing a first ink zone profile in the printing press;
- transferring ink from the ink reservoir to the printing plate cylinder via a route of travel which extends from the ink reservoir through at least one of the plurality of individually adjustable ink zone metering devices, thereafter to the at least one ink fountain roller, thereafter to the at least one ink transfer roller, thereafter to the plurality of inking rollers, and thereafter to the printing plate cylinder to establish the first ink zone profile;
- feeding sheets of printing stock for the first printing job into the printing press to the sheet drum with the sheet feeding means;
- engaging the rubber blanket cylinder with the plate cylinder;
- positioning the sheet drum adjacent the rubber blanket cylinder;
- transferring ink impressions from the printing plate to the rubber blanket cylinder and then to sheets of printing stock on the sheet drum to produce printed sheets;
- transporting the printed sheets from the sheet drum to the sheet stacking means with the sheet transport means;
- stacking the printed sheets into a pile of sheets;
- terminating the printing of the first printing job;
- changing over the printing press from the first printing job to the second printing job, the second printing job having an ink zone profile different from the first ink zone profile, and at least the plurality of inking rollers having a residual amount of ink thereon after terminating the first printing job, said changeover process comprising the steps of:
- interrupting flow of ink from the ink reservoir to the plurality of inking rollers;
- operating at least the plurality of inking rollers, the plate cylinder and the rubber blanket cylinder to transfer residual ink from the inking rollers to the rubber blanket cylinder;
- removing residual ink from the blanket cylinder;
- repeating said steps of operating and removing to remove a substantial portion of the residual ink from at least the plurality of inking rollers;
- removing the printing plate from the first print job and installing a printing plate for the next print job;
- adjusting the plurality of ink zone metering devices to settings appropriate for establishing the second ink zone profile of the second printing job;
- and operating the plurality of inking rollers, the at least one ink transfer roller, and the at least one ink fountain roller to transfer ink from the ink reservoir to the inking rollers to establish the second ink zone profile in the printing press;
- feeding sheets of printing stock for the second printing job into the printing press to the sheet drum with the sheet feeding means;
- engaging the plate cylinder with the plurality of inking rollers, engaging the rubber blanket cylinder with plate cylinder, and operating the sheet drum in conjunction with the rubber blanket cylinder;
- transferring ink from the plurality of inking rollers to the printing plate on the plate cylinder to form ink impressions on the printing plate, transferring ink impressions from the printing plate to the rubber blanket cylinder and then from the rubber blanket cylinder to sheets of printing stock on the sheet drum to produce printed sheets;
- transporting the printed sheets from the sheet drum to the sheet stacking means with the sheet transfer means;
- stacking the printed sheets into a pile of printed sheets;
- and terminating the printing of the second printing job.
A process for operating a printing press comprising:
- a printing plate cylinder for positioning a printing plate, an ink reservoir for holding a supply of ink and an inking mechanism for transferring the ink between the ink reservoir and the printing plate during operation of the printing press, the inking mechanism comprising a plurality of inking rollers, a plurality of individually adjustable ink zone metering devices disposed in conjunction with the ink reservoir, and means for transferring ink between the ink zone metering device and at least one of the plurality of inking rollers, each of the plurality of individually adjustable ink zone metering devices defining a substantially corresponding ink zone in the printing press, the first printing job having a first ink profile, and the second printing job having a second second ink profile, said process comprising changing of the ink profile from the first ink profile to the second ink profile, and said changing of the ink profile comprising the steps of:
- printing a first print job;
- finishing the printing of the first printing job, at least said plurality of inking rollers having a residual amount of ink thereon after said terminating of the first printing job;
- interrupting flow of ink from the ink reservoir to the plurality of inking rollers;
- operating at least the plurality of inking rollers, the plate cylinder and the rubber blanket cylinder to transfer at least a portion of the residual ink from the plurality of inking rollers to the rubber blanket cylinder;
- removing at least a portion of the residual ink from the blanket cylinder;
- repeating said steps of operating and removing to remove a substantial portion of the residual ink from at least the plurality of inking rollers;
- changing printing plates by removing a printing plate from the first printing job and installing a printing plate for the second printing job;
- adjusting the plurality of ink zone metering devices to settings appropriate for establishing a second ink zone profile of the second printing job;
- operating the plurality of inking rollers, and the means for transferring ink to transfer ink from the plurality of ink zone metering devices to the plurality of inking rollers to establish the second ink zone profile on the plurality of inking rollers;
- engaging the plate cylinder with the plurality of inking rollers to transfer ink from the plurality of inking rollers to the printing plate to form an ink impression on the printing plate;
- and printing said second print job.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.